, 1887-11-04
SUING FOR MERCY.
The Anarchists Will Ask for
Executive Clemency.
A Petition to Be Sent to Gov
ernor 0glesbY.
Chief Justice Waite the Victim
Of a Silly Hoax.
Will Petition the Governor.

Will HeulUlOn the
CHICAGO, Nov. Sat the jail this
morning a long conference was held be-
tween Capt. Black, l.. S. Oliver, of the
Amnesty Association, and the seven con-
demned men. At the conclusion OF the
conference, Capt. Black refused to make
public the matter under discussion. He
said he expected to leave for Springfield
with a petition of amnesty on Monday
night. To an inquiry whether he hoped
for clemency, he replied:
Il am always a hopeful man. | will
hope until there is no longer any ground
for it,"
1t had been suggested by several attor-
neys hat the defense, for the purpose OF
delay, if nothing else, could apply for a
writ Of ~lunatico inquirendo to determine
the mental condition OF the condemned
men. Capt. Black said of this:
1T might be done, but those brave fell
lows would never consent to it. | wouldn't
give it a second. thought"
Mrs, Lucy Parsons appeared on the
streets with an armtul of pamphlets,
which a small boy tried to sell yesterday.
An N crowd soon collected about
her and the officers compelled her to move
on. The chief OF police ordered, how
ever, that she be allowed to sell the pam
phlets, but not to create a blockade on
the streets. She admitted the justice of
this, but soon after took up her stand on
Government square. she having been ad-
vised by her friends that the city police
could not modest her there. Soon, how
ever, another tremendous crowd congre-
gated around her, and a deputy United
States marshal made her move on. She
then walked up and down the street sell
ing the pamphlets, until she was ex-
hausted.
The person who furnished the pam
phlets says she sold fully 5000 copies at
live cents a copy.
Late this afternoon several socialists
who have been prominent in their en-
dcavors to secure le~niency for the con-
demned men visited the jail and had a
long conference with Spies, at the end of
which he signed some paper which they
had brought. He seemed reluctant and
only signed 1t after much persuasion.
1t has not yet been learned what the
nature OF the document was.
August Spies, Samuel Fielden and
Michael Schawb signed a petition this
afternoon humbly begging the governor
to commute their sentences. These 'hree
have not written letters to the governor
saying they would not accept a commute
ton. The signatures of Fielder and
Schawb were secured by Capt. Black and
l.. s. Oliver in the morning conference,
but Spies wa obdurate at that time and
would not sign the paper. Late this af-
%ternoon, however, he was called upon by
DR.. Schmidt, ex-Alderman Frank Stauber
and George Schilling, who labored with
them until the signature was secured.
With the other four nothing could be
done, but a committee of friends will call
on them again tomorrow and endeavor to
induce them to reconsider their detGrmi-
nation not to ask for mercy.
The Arbeiter Zettung, the organ of the
anarchists, has a long editorial in to-day's
issue on the action of the supreme court,
in which it says: For a hundred years
the United States has enjoyed the reputa
ton of being a free country, and up to a
short time & such reputation was most
justifiable. But lately a few possessors of
the colossal riches produced by the com
mon people usurped a criminal power to
pervert and misinterpret the laws created
by the fathers of this republic in good
faith and q progressive spirit. They splat-
ter with mud the name OF the republic.
Justice, which is being distributed under
the auspices of Jay Gould, Vanderbilt,
and others. wears not only a bandage
over her eyes. but also a watchwOrd on
her breast which reads, The public be
damned.
The editorial further accuses the JUS
tice of having been led merely by the de-
sire of setting a horrible example to the
working classes to keep them easier in
submission. 1t warns the justices that he
who sows the wind must reap the whirl.
wind, and adds: Our comrades will
seal with their blood the truth that lib
erty and Justice can hardly raise their
heads in this country. Chairman Oliver,
of the Amnesty Association wore out his
patience and a good horse to-day in an
unavailing attempt to secure a hall tor a
Saturday night mass meeting, No own
ers of places of public assemblage can be
prevailed upon to rent for even one night
for the purpose.
Ex-Secretary of the Treasury Window,
who arrived in this city from New York
this evening, was asked by a reporter
what is thought of the anarchist case in
the East. He said:
THE people have been anxiously await.
ing the verdict, and | believe the con
sentative people of the country are well
satisfied with it. While many are moved
by the dictates of humanity to pity for the
condemned men, very few there are that
| have talked with but think these men
should be punished"
The object fthe visit of Messrs. Salter
and Lloyd to the anarchists Wednesday
developed to-day by the circulation of
three different petitions among citizens
chists. The first of these contained the
names of all the seven men and was
signed during the day by Judge Tuley,
Judge Booth, Alderman Manierre and
others. The second petition does not
contain the names of Engel, Fischer and
Lingg The last one has only the names
Of Fielden and Schwab on it. these being